This year’s Summer Solstice Festival officially begins this Friday, from 4 to 9 p.m., and continues through Sunday in Alameda Park.

Ensembles from the parade and the electronic-rock-dance band Tropo will be headlining on Friday evening.

On Saturday, the 39th annual Solstice Parade begins at noon at State and Cota streets, moving up State Street to the festival with non-stop entertainment in Alameda Park on the main stage until 8 p.m. and music on the Children’s Stage until 6 p.m. Saturday’s highlights will include Area 51, the Rainbow Girls and more.

Sunday afternoon will feature rock icon Creed Bratton and his band the Rubbermen. Creed is known for his role in NBC’s The Office and The Grass Roots. Popular local ska and reggae band The Upbeats will also be performing Sunday afternoon.

The Summer Solstice Celebration is Santa Barbara’s largest three-day arts festival, “celebrating life through the arts.”

Seventy-five decorative and visual fine artists from around the country will have their distinctive one-of-a-kind works on display at this year’s festival. Attendees can stroll through displays of cutting-edge decorative arts, admire, commission and purchase the art of sculptors, muralists, jewelers, painters and fine artists. Some of the artists will be creating pieces on the spot.

”Some of the highlights of this year’s artists include local landscape painter Chris Potter, the hand-dyed weavings of Antonio Mendoza, painter Jesse Nguyen from Santa Ana, sculptures based on the Moebius Ring by L.A. artist Charles Sherman, metal work and precious stones Lorelei Greene, and mixed media artist Suzanne Marquez from New Mexico,” Solstice Festival Director Stephen Millard said. “Friday and Sunday afternoon may be the best days to meet with these carefully selected artists.”

Click here for more information on the entertainment schedule.